100: Chapter 100: Accepting Lin Fan as a Disciple, the Arena Battle Begins

"Is it them?"

The familiar faces were none other than...

Precisely those he had seen a long time ago in the Withered Wood Secret Realm.

It was the young man and woman brought by Fourth Disciple.

Fourth Disciple was naturally there as well.

He was standing in front of them, giving the two of them some instructions.

He ignored them.

By now, he had already put on his night-traveling clothes.

Dressed in black, with a hood over his head.

No one paid him any mind.

He sent a message to Chu Linger.

The two of them soon met behind the wall of the agreed-upon residential area in the back.

He glanced back.

Xu Changsheng's brow furrowed slightly: "Why are there so many people?"

According to what was said before, very few people should have known.

Chu Linger said with a mix of helplessness and resentment: "Supposedly, some Senior Brother leaked the news, and now almost all the Cultivators in the Immortal City know about it."

Xu Changsheng shrugged.

"So there are none left?"

He sighed inwardly: "Do I still have to wait until the next Yellow Ox Auction?"

Chu Linger stuck out her tongue: "Uh, the news just leaked, but the foundation establishment pill is still there."

Xu Changsheng was startled, then feigned anger: "Stop talking nonsense and explain clearly."

Chu Linger hurriedly waved her hands: "Master, don't be Life Qi. I'll tell you, I'll tell you."

"To avoid breaking his word without actually giving out so many foundation establishment pills, Master had them replace the Puppets with Grade Two Low Grade Bedrock Puppets."

"Grade Two!"

Xu Changsheng's brows locked tight.

Grade Two Puppets are not like Cultivators.

The latter can be caught off guard; before their protective spiritual light is activated, one can launch a sneak attack and blast them to smithereens.

The former are made of Grade Two materials; even without Spirit Stones, they aren't something a Qi Refining Cultivator can shake.

Furthermore...

It was the Bedrock Puppet, known among Puppets for its defensive power.

Probably only a top-tier offensive talisman treasure could leave a mark on it.

But his heart suddenly throbbed.

What did this have to do with him, a Second-rank Body Refiner?

If a Second-rank Body Refiner struck with full force, even a Bedrock Puppet would be beaten into scrap metal!

He felt a secret joy: "So this foundation establishment pill still belongs to me, Xu Changsheng."

But there was still one problem.

Xu Changsheng asked: "Under what identity am I going up to the arena?"

Everyone who goes up to the arena must give their name and be registered.

There's no requirement to use a real name.

One can give a fake name at will.

But Xu Changsheng couldn't.

He was a Cultivator who was going to blow up a Bedrock Puppet and take the foundation establishment pill.

Once the foundation establishment pill was in hand...

Everyone's eyes would be focused on him.

At that time...

His identity and strength wouldn't be hidden at all.

Chu Linger's mouth hung open slightly: "Master, you're really going up to the arena?"

"Why not try? If I can't win, I'll just leave the arena and admit defeat. Do you look down on me that much?"

"It's not impossible. Of course I believe in you, Master. I've already told Senior Brother Tang that you'll be going up as my Disciple."

"Your childhood friend?"

"Yes. Since I became a Disciple, he hasn't stayed by my Servant Girl's side and has gone off to travel the world."

"I see."

Xu Changsheng thought to himself: "Acting as Chu Linger's Disciple is convenient; there's no need to explain anything to the arena organizers, it comes with its own endorsement."

He suddenly realized he didn't know the name of Chu Linger's childhood friend.

He asked: "I wonder what your Disciple's name is?"

Chu Linger replied immediately: "His name is Lin Fan."

"Lin Fan, huh."

Xu Changsheng nodded.

Suddenly...

He noticed something was off.

This name? Why is it so familiar?

"It couldn't be him, could it?"

Xu Changsheng's expression turned strange.

He continued to ask: "What does he look like? What's his build?"

Chu Linger tapped her cheek with her finger: "How should I describe him... a bit over five feet tall, features are quite handsome. Last time I saw him, he even had a bit of a heroic air."

"Could it really be such a coincidence?"

He asked word by word: "This Lin Fan, he wouldn't happen to have an older sister named Lin Wan, would he?"

Hearing this...

Chu Linger's pupils constricted slightly: "Eh? How did Master know?"

"As I thought."

Xu Changsheng didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "I know of him, but he doesn't know me. Please do not reveal my name to him."

Although Chu Linger was curious about the relationship between the two, she obediently didn't ask further: "Don't worry, Master. I haven't told him your identity."

Just then...

The arena opened.

The surrounding Cultivators had already packed the Hongyun Arena so tightly that not even a drop of water could trickle through.

The Immortal City guards were maintaining order.

"Stop the noise! Go up to the arena to challenge in the order of your tickets!"

Expressions of dissatisfaction were endless.

"I object! This way, Sect and Family Disciples will definitely have priority. By the time it's our turn, there won't even be scraps left!"

"Yeah! I want to go first and be the first to get a foundation establishment pill."

The security line showed faint signs of breaking.

The next moment...

Several waves of Foundation Establishment pressure were revealed.

Fourth Disciple's figure rose slowly, finally sitting steadily on the high platform beside the arena.

A gentle voice reached everyone's ears: "Everyone, please calm down. I am Fourth Disciple, the Fourth Disciple of Yellow Ox."

"I guarantee on the reputation of the Immortal City that as long as you defeat the Bedrock Puppet, you will definitely obtain a foundation establishment pill, regardless of the order!"

Hearing this...

The crowd's anxiety was finally soothed.

With the Immortal City's reputation as a guarantee, they rubbed their hands together, planning to go all out.

"Haha, in that case, many thanks for the Immortal City's great kindness."

"Yellow Ox Immortal City truly lives up to its reputation; foundation establishment pills are everywhere. It was worth saving up travel expenses for so long to come here."

A faint, barely noticeable curve appeared at the corner of Fourth Disciple's mouth: "Very well, the Hongyun Arena begins today."

His hands moved in a seal, and a translucent light shield emitted from the four corners of the arena, covering the entire stage in a hemispherical shape.

He sat on the wooden chair on the high platform and began to rest his eyes.

A white-browed old man at Qi Refining Great Perfection, holding a ticket, touched the light screen and stepped onto the arena.

He turned back and cupped his fists toward the crowd: "This old man is unworthy, so I'll take a foundation establishment pill and be on my way."

This drew a wave of envy from below.

The old man's name was He Fangru; he was a long-time gambler.

Having lived in Yellow Ox Immortal City for many years, many Cultivators knew him.

"Old Ghost He, I didn't expect you to actually gamble your way to a foundation establishment pill."

"Old Man He, at your age, you won't be able to establish your Foundation Establishment even if you get the pill. Why not sell it to me? I'm willing to pay two thousand Spirit Stones!"

Various sounds of envy and bribery came through.

He Fangru ignored them.

He thought to himself: "Looking down on me? I'll show you my Foundation Establishment!"

As a gray light flashed by...

An Ape Puppet standing three zhang tall suddenly appeared opposite him.

Its limbs were sturdy, and its entire body was made of milky-white marble, shimmering in the sunlight.

It was like a small mountain made of jade, possessing an immense sense of pressure.

At this moment, the Puppet was not activated, sitting quietly in place.

The old man chuckled: "A Late Stage Qi Refining Bedrock Puppet? That's quite a challenge."

He slapped his Storage Pouch.

A large bronze saber suddenly appeared in his hand.

It radiated the pressure unique to a High Grade Magical Artifact.

With an old man's raspy voice, he said earnestly: "Unfortunately for you, you've met me!"